It's the third week of the challenge and as the running starts to settle into the daily routine, I thought it about time that I recorded the current state of play, discuss the pros and cons of running every day and the specific issues that come into play as the weeks pass.
I have just ran the daily minimum of 5k so far. Over stretching myself in distance terms is potentially the biggest threat to completing the challenge. There will be plenty of time in the coming months to increase the mileage with possibly a longer weekend run if the local trails dry out. That does not mean to say that I've been taking it easy as I did my second fastest ever 5k at the Peterborough Parkrun last Saturday at 23:17. Considering that I did not go 100% as I was mindful of the challenge and got held up in traffic due to not starting near enough to the front, I'm very happy with that.
I don't recall ever being able to run more than 20 miles in a week. When I tried it in the 80s, I always ended up with an injury that meant I didn't run the next week. So it was with some trepidation that I started off the first week. I was still suffering from a minor niggle or two so it was a case of "gently does it" for the first few days. As the days and weeks have passed the concern has lifted although niggles come and go, there are no major issues to report.
Apart from the Parkrun and a Frosty 5k event at Wicksteeds Park, all my runs have been on the same route, out and back on a bridleway off the village green. This is mainly due to the fact that my best running routes are at Stanwick Lakes but the route there and back is currently very muddy due to the recent regular rainfall. The shortest loop through the lakes is around 7k so going that way will involve some higher mileages.
I have, more or less, kept to my own advice with regard to pacing myself, taking each run as it comes and not trying to do a particular pace or run to a schedule. If I've ran faster it's because my legs said they were happy with it. Apart from the Parkrun when it all gets a bit competitive but that's all part of the fun.
Tanya has ran with me on a couple of days. It's been great to have some company and I don't mind slowing a little to her pace as I will have plenty of opportunities for faster runs in the coming months. Tanya seems to have benefited from the runs as she managed a PB at the Peterborough Parkrun.
I'm still trying to keep up with riding the bike on the turbo-trainer. I'm still doing 4-5 hours a week on Zwift, usually in the afternoons. I find that the spinning of the legs is great at loosening up any tight muscles. I've had to ease up a bit in the races though as a full bore effort of an hour or so can leave me feeling very tired.
I'm still feeling motivated to get this done. I actually look forward to my runs first thing in the morning. I've integrated them into my daily routine: Cup of tea, running kit on, warm-up, out the door, run, shower, breakfast and into the day as normal if not a bit later. It helps being between jobs at the moment.
Pros:
I am getting fitter. Not necessarily faster but I am getting the same pace at a lower heart rate than I was at the start. That should translate into a faster pace at some time.
It's good for my state of mind. Winter is always a bad time for my head, particularly if work is light. If I wasn't doing this then things would be pretty bleak.
My weight is coming down. After bringing my weight down with a very active summer, it had started to creep back up a little. Since the start of the challenge that has now reversed and I'm back at my target weight.
Cons:
My left calf/ankle is still not right. No worse but no better. It is something that I can live with as it does not hurt during running, just evenings after sitting for a while and first thing in the morning. I say it does not hurt during running but I can feel it at times and it may be holding back the effort.
I am tired most of the time. Not really surprising on approx. 8 hours a week of hard exercise but that goes with the territory.
Issues:
I wrote this heading when I started writing this blog. Now I've got to it, I can't think of anything to write. That must be good?
UPDATE
It's now week 4 and I am unable to continue the challenge. Jumped over a puddle on the 22nd and minutes later, at the end of the run, my right calf started to tighten up. Next morning the calf felt tight at the start of the run and got worse for a mile or so and then the usual sudden sharp pain as though I had been stabbed in the calf. I had to stop running and limped back home.
So that's the end of that. Interesting challenge but not one that I can do with my running legs in their current condition. The value of rest days cannot be overstated.
Wednesday 18 December 2019
Tuesday 3 December 2019
RED Winter 2019-20 Challenge - Run at least 5k every day, December-February - Week 1
At the start of 2019, I set myself a challenge to do a physical activity every day. This came about due to the inspirational efforts of all-round good egg Steve Burton who ran every day throughout 2018. At the start of the year, I had only just completed Couch to 5k so just running was not an option. So it is a case of cycling, running, swimming or occasionally walking every day.
11 months completed successfully and I'm already onto the next challenge which is to run at least 5k every day, December-February, as a consequence of an invite from Steve to join him on his latest escapade.
I started building up the running miles and running consecutive days over the last few weeks in preparation and on Sunday 1st December started off with a moderately paced (for me) 5k run on a farm track out of the village and back. On Monday the 2nd, same again but at an easy pace which gave me time to think about how I was going to keep motivated and injury free over the next 3 months. I was happy with my fitness to handle a 1/2 hour run every day but not mentally prepared for 90 consecutive days of doing the same thing. Also injury avoidance will be crucial to complete the challenge. So I had a long think during the run and most the rest of the day about how I'm going to try to get through it and, if possible, improve my running pace along the way.
I'm writing this down for my benefit but also hope that it may benefit others undertaking the challenge. So here goes:
Fitness
I'm quite fit for a 62 year old and have been doing over an hour a day of moderate exercise all year, so fitness is not an issue for me. If I was not in this situation I probably would not undertake such a challenge but for anyone crazy enough I can only advise them to take it very easy at first, run-walk to start with, running further and walking less as you get fitter and then eventually running the full distance. Avoiding injury could be your biggest challenge. If you feel a muscle tightening up the slow down or even stop. Trying to run through pain could mean you may not be able to run the next day. You will get some niggles along the way, that's inevitable. Ibruprofen gels and Dr Google are my best friends.
Pace
Don't try to run too fast too early. When I used to run in the 80s, I was disappointed if I did not PB or extend my longest run. Every run was judged on distance and pace. These days I judge my runs on time and effort, I still time the runs and analyse the results, but I am as happy if I can get round the 5k in half an hour with a max heart-rate of 130bpm as doing it in 25 minutes and hitting 150 bpm. Every run, irrespective of pace, is a building block to your objective whether that be a race or just finding it easier and more enjoyable.
I try not to pre-plan my runs apart from the route. I do a simple set of dynamic exercises before each run, go out the house, start the watch and set off on the run. Within a few strides my legs give me feedback on what I can expect from them and I settle into a steady, comfortable pace. My usual run is uphill for a bit and that then gives me feedback on my current fitness level and how I should run on the day. It's probably not until I've ran the first mile and I'm on the second hill that I decide how I'm going to run the rest of it. The point I'm trying to make is that you should let your body tell you what it can do rather than you trying to force it to do something it's not ready for. That way you should avoid fatigue and get the most out of your runs. I do not agree with training plans that say you should do this and that on certain days. They are generally counter-productive unless you are a competing athlete. I find that a single hard, fast paced run once a week is enough to bring about an improvement but just let it happen, don't force it.
Motivation
OK, so we can handle the physical side of things, what about the mental aspects? Running 5k every day for 3 months is a mental challenge, particularly if it is on the same route every day. How do we keep motivated?
On my 2019 challenge, I've written a short report on Facebook at the end of each month. Initially lots of positive comments and feedback that provided some motivation. As the months have gone on, the comments have stopped and I'm now getting just likes. If we rely on our peers to motivate us then my experience is that they get bored and from the initial "Well done, keep it up" you end up with "You still doing that?".
My motivation now comes from self imposed targets. I initially took up running in order to do a Triathlon, unfinished business from the 80s. See my last blog for more details. My latest target that provides the current motivation is to do a half-marathon in 1:34 which was my previous PB. That works out at about a 22 minute 5k pace but for 21k. I've got a long way to go but as long as I see improvements it may still be within reach.
The other way to keep it interesting is to mix it up a bit. I've got 2 possible 5k routes from the house although one of them is rather soggy at the moment. I've also got a number of longer routes if my legs are up to it. I also plan to do Parkruns on a Saturday and I've got a number of 5k and 10k events planned. With the events every couple of weeks or so, I can break the 3 months down into chunks of training finishing in a race. I use the word "training" but I don't mean in a structured way, similarly I view a "race" as an opportunity to go for a PB if your body is willing. A number on your chest and running with other people, (racing-if you like) is the best way to run faster.
Enjoyment
Lastly, just try and enjoy the runs. You rarely see a runner smile because it is not easy. So, on the easier runs just enjoy being outdoors. Its all too easy to just look at the path in front. Make an effort to look about you. I run in open countryside and love to spot wildlife. I have regular one-way conversations with Red-Kites that circle above me waiting for me to collapse so they can pick at my corpse. I see squirrels, hares, pheasants and the occasional deer.
I even talk to trees. Not just any tree but special ones. I might just be mad, but then would a sane person take up this challenge :)
11 months completed successfully and I'm already onto the next challenge which is to run at least 5k every day, December-February, as a consequence of an invite from Steve to join him on his latest escapade.
I started building up the running miles and running consecutive days over the last few weeks in preparation and on Sunday 1st December started off with a moderately paced (for me) 5k run on a farm track out of the village and back. On Monday the 2nd, same again but at an easy pace which gave me time to think about how I was going to keep motivated and injury free over the next 3 months. I was happy with my fitness to handle a 1/2 hour run every day but not mentally prepared for 90 consecutive days of doing the same thing. Also injury avoidance will be crucial to complete the challenge. So I had a long think during the run and most the rest of the day about how I'm going to try to get through it and, if possible, improve my running pace along the way.
I'm writing this down for my benefit but also hope that it may benefit others undertaking the challenge. So here goes:
Fitness
I'm quite fit for a 62 year old and have been doing over an hour a day of moderate exercise all year, so fitness is not an issue for me. If I was not in this situation I probably would not undertake such a challenge but for anyone crazy enough I can only advise them to take it very easy at first, run-walk to start with, running further and walking less as you get fitter and then eventually running the full distance. Avoiding injury could be your biggest challenge. If you feel a muscle tightening up the slow down or even stop. Trying to run through pain could mean you may not be able to run the next day. You will get some niggles along the way, that's inevitable. Ibruprofen gels and Dr Google are my best friends.
Pace
Don't try to run too fast too early. When I used to run in the 80s, I was disappointed if I did not PB or extend my longest run. Every run was judged on distance and pace. These days I judge my runs on time and effort, I still time the runs and analyse the results, but I am as happy if I can get round the 5k in half an hour with a max heart-rate of 130bpm as doing it in 25 minutes and hitting 150 bpm. Every run, irrespective of pace, is a building block to your objective whether that be a race or just finding it easier and more enjoyable.
I try not to pre-plan my runs apart from the route. I do a simple set of dynamic exercises before each run, go out the house, start the watch and set off on the run. Within a few strides my legs give me feedback on what I can expect from them and I settle into a steady, comfortable pace. My usual run is uphill for a bit and that then gives me feedback on my current fitness level and how I should run on the day. It's probably not until I've ran the first mile and I'm on the second hill that I decide how I'm going to run the rest of it. The point I'm trying to make is that you should let your body tell you what it can do rather than you trying to force it to do something it's not ready for. That way you should avoid fatigue and get the most out of your runs. I do not agree with training plans that say you should do this and that on certain days. They are generally counter-productive unless you are a competing athlete. I find that a single hard, fast paced run once a week is enough to bring about an improvement but just let it happen, don't force it.
Motivation
OK, so we can handle the physical side of things, what about the mental aspects? Running 5k every day for 3 months is a mental challenge, particularly if it is on the same route every day. How do we keep motivated?
On my 2019 challenge, I've written a short report on Facebook at the end of each month. Initially lots of positive comments and feedback that provided some motivation. As the months have gone on, the comments have stopped and I'm now getting just likes. If we rely on our peers to motivate us then my experience is that they get bored and from the initial "Well done, keep it up" you end up with "You still doing that?".
My motivation now comes from self imposed targets. I initially took up running in order to do a Triathlon, unfinished business from the 80s. See my last blog for more details. My latest target that provides the current motivation is to do a half-marathon in 1:34 which was my previous PB. That works out at about a 22 minute 5k pace but for 21k. I've got a long way to go but as long as I see improvements it may still be within reach.
The other way to keep it interesting is to mix it up a bit. I've got 2 possible 5k routes from the house although one of them is rather soggy at the moment. I've also got a number of longer routes if my legs are up to it. I also plan to do Parkruns on a Saturday and I've got a number of 5k and 10k events planned. With the events every couple of weeks or so, I can break the 3 months down into chunks of training finishing in a race. I use the word "training" but I don't mean in a structured way, similarly I view a "race" as an opportunity to go for a PB if your body is willing. A number on your chest and running with other people, (racing-if you like) is the best way to run faster.
Enjoyment
Lastly, just try and enjoy the runs. You rarely see a runner smile because it is not easy. So, on the easier runs just enjoy being outdoors. Its all too easy to just look at the path in front. Make an effort to look about you. I run in open countryside and love to spot wildlife. I have regular one-way conversations with Red-Kites that circle above me waiting for me to collapse so they can pick at my corpse. I see squirrels, hares, pheasants and the occasional deer.
I even talk to trees. Not just any tree but special ones. I might just be mad, but then would a sane person take up this challenge :)
Monday 9 September 2019
Daventry Triathlon 2019
I'm not feeling too well this morning. Not that it's unexpected but it could have been prevented but sometimes you just have to stick to the plan and deal with the consequences. Yesterday, I competed in my first triathlon in 32 years despite having a head cold but I did it anyway knowing that it would delay my recovery by a few days.
I first competed in a triathlon in August 1987 with my second a few weeks later. Part of a series held at a pool in Biggleswade. Something to do with Bill Jordan of Jordans Cereals who was heavily involved in the running scene around Bedford back then. The event was close to what would now be called a Sprint Triathlon: 400m pool swim, 25km ride and a 6km run (I think, but memory is a bit vague on the specifics). I did OK finishing 32nd out of 67 starters.
For a long time this was the pinnacle of my sporting achievements. I'm not a team player so I never excelled at most sports but I could run and swim OK, representing school at cross country and doing well in the school swimming gala. In the mid 80s I was working in an office with lads of a similar age and one or two had been bitten by the jogging bug so there was lots of talk about running. At the same time my late father-in-law had taken up running with the intention of running a half marathon. Unsurprisingly I was drawn towards the activity and it was not long before I was running several half-marathons a year.
The problem for me was the training caused continual injury and I struggled to get any decent weekly mileage in without ending up hobbling through day-to-day life. One of the lads in the office suggested that I get a bike to improve my fitness and he just happened to have a suitable frame for sale. A few visits to Halfords for parts and I had a working bike. Just 5 gears and weighed a ton but it did what was needed. By 1986 I had a half-marathon PB of 1:34.
Triathlon was very much in its infancy back then but when a local event came about I brushed up my swimming and put in some serious training, often riding the 20 miles to and from work, swimming at lunchtime and running in the evening, all in the same day! I remember getting very tired but I felt really good on it.
So I did the 2 triathlons in late 1987 and then my professional world turned upside down when the opportunity to start a business with a number of my work mates came about. The consequences of that, the stress and demands on my time brought about the end of my active life. Irritable Bowel Syndrome set in and I could no longer run or cycle.
Fast forward to 2011, I tried to walk up Alpe d'Huez to watch the Tour de France. I did not make it half way. Unfit, overweight, suffering from IBS driven by stress/anxiety and depression. My long-suffering wife Tanya decided it was time to do something about it and by 2012 we were cycling regularly, the weight was coming down, the IBS was in retreat and I was feeling a lot better.
Cycling is great, I made loads of new friends, it keeps me fit and healthy and gives my life a focus as I purposely retreat from my professional life and edge towards retirement. We now ride with several groups and people come and go so there is always something fresh to maintain the interest, but cycling round in the same circles has its limits.
In 2017, as I turned 60 I decided that as I was 30 when I did those triathlons, by some weird logic, it was time to give it another go. I bought some running shoes, ran once but that was it for a while as Tanya and I both qualified to ride in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships so cycling in bigger circles at a faster pace became our priority. We had a great time competing in the Worlds in Albi, France so, subsequently we attempted to qualify again in 2018. I was unsuccessful but Tanya qualified and competed in Varese, Italy.
The 2019 Worlds was in Poland which we did not feel compelled to go for so in September 2018, on our return from Varese, I picked up the running shoes again with the intention of competing in a triathlon. Tanya and I both embarked on the Couch to 5k running program. Although by this point we were both very fit for our age, as any cyclist attempting to run will tell you, it is very difficult to run without doing yourself some damage, mainly due to the imbalance in the leg muscle groups caused by the cycling. After a number of restarts following calf/achilles/ham-string injuries I managed 5k without stopping by the end of the year. I did my first parkrun on 5th January in 26:51. On 31st August, I did my eighth parkun in 23:00. I still get a few niggles if I run longer distances but progress has so far been good. Can I do a half marathon in 1:34 again? Maybe, time will tell.
Tanya's progress with the running has not been so good, suffering from recurring injury to her upper ham-string tendons below her sit-bones. So the decision to enter a specific triathlon was on hold for a while. However, after a few weeks of little running and a gentle restart things were improving.
Just 2 weeks ago, we realised that we could enter a local pool based triathlon without having to sell body parts to fund it. Open water swim triathlons are quite expensive and then there's the added cost of a wet suit which would only get a single use if we did not like it. So without further hesitation we entered the Viridian Daventry Triathlon. The event was sprint distance: 400m pool swim, 20km ride and 5km run. So we paid the entry fee, ordered cheap tri-suits and running belts and then started to think about the logistics.
Final training involved a single swim as I had not swam since holiday in late July, dropped my running distances to avoid injury and carried on as normal with the cycling round in small circles at a high pace.
All was well until Wednesday last week. Did the evening Gorilla pub-ride which these days involves a mid-ride segment competition. By the end of the evening I had a sore throat, nothing unusual in that I thought, just the normal "segment cough".Thursday morning my throat was still sore, not segment cough but the onset of a cold. Bugger! Managed to get a gentle 5k run in first thing, but Friday through Saturday I was nursing a head cold. I made a decision fairly early on that I would do the triathlon as long as the cold did not move to my chest or turn into a viral infection. With rest and mild medication I was feeling better. Nothing to stop me now.
The big difference between a running or cycling event and a triathlon is the logistics of getting all the kit ready in the right place so that the transitions between the disciplines is carried out as efficiently as possible. So it is quite a challenge to bring it all together and get it to the event. Numerous scribblings on various bits of paper, lots of head scratching and thinking through the event in our heads took up a lot of our time. The book "Dare to Tri" by Louise Minchin was a great help as it lists the kit and discusses the options.
Registration for the event was possible on Saturday afternoon plus they were holding a briefing session for newcomers afterwards, so we popped over, took the opportunity to recce the run start and finish on foot, followed by a drive round the bike loop in the car. That took a lot of the stress away. Just a matter of returning in the morning to do the event.
We were up at 5:30am on race day. The day dawned dry and bright with little wind, great except the temperature was only 4 degrees! So, I've got a cold and I'm supposed to get out of a warm swimming pool and run 200m to my bike in my wet tri-suit in near freezing temperatures, jump on the bike, still wet and hammer my lungs! I packed an extra jersey and a towel to make sure that I was going to be as dry and warm as possible at the start of the bike leg.
To be honest, I felt really strange when I got up. Sort of divorced from what was happening, going through the motions and not over-thinking everything which is my norm. It was just the effects of my head cold but it was quite relaxing in a strange way. I had one job to do and that was it, just get one with it.
We packed the car with all the kit, put the bikes on the carrier and off we went. Luckily we got a space in the car park adjacent to the transition area which meant we had a bit more time to set up and familiarise ourselves with the layout of the transition. We returned to registration to get numbers written on our arms and legs and attend a safety briefing. Lots of nervous chatter going on around me but the fog in my end was shutting it out, nice.
Back to the bike to strip off and a last arrangement of the bike and kit. Luckily the lockers at the pool were available, so I could wear flip-flops and a sweatshirt over my tri-suit and deposit them in a locker for retrieval later. Then back to the pool for the start.
Due to Tanya's far superior swimming capabilities, she was scheduled to start an hour after me as the fastest swimmer goes last. So throughout my prep Tanya tagged along and assisted which was good considering the state of my head. I think it also helped Tanya as a dry run for her prep.
Back at the pool, we were assembled into groups of six, predetermined by our race numbers. One of us for each lane of the pool, each fitted with an ankle tag containing a timing chip, ASBO style, and given a specific colour swimming cap. Then into the pool with 30 seconds to go to the designated start time. A quick head under to acclimatise myself, fit my goggles and before I was really ready the whistle went and we were off.
To record my activities I was using my Garmin Forerunner Watch for the swim and run and my Garmin Edge 800 for the bike leg. Chest heart rate monitors seemed wrong and not sure they work after submersion, so I set my watch to broadcast my heart rate so that the Garmin 800 would display it as normal on the bike leg. Good in theory, if you remember to press start. So I set about the swim, the tedious process of staring at the pool floor and trying to count the lengths as you turn. After a couple of lengths I realised I had not pressed start on my Forerunner. Dohh. At least the ASBO tag will give me a time. So nice steady pace, not too hard but pushing nonetheless.
There was one other swimmer in my lane at the start, a young lass, and it was obvious that she was struggling because she had been stopping every couple of lengths before I got in. She had started 4 minutes before me in the previous wave, but inevitably it was not long before I caught her up. We had been instructed to tap the feet of the swimmer in front if we wished to pass. So a couple of taps, she stopped at the next turn and I passed. I was conscious of another swimmer joining the lane half way through but did not have to pass anyone else.
At the end of each lane was a "lap counter". Not a sophisticated electronic device but a real person with a clipboard ticking off each length for each swimmer. Quite a busy and responsible job but my lap counter was great, offering encouragement and support every couple of lengths. After 14 lengths, he put a board down to indicate that I had just a couple of lengths to go. Usually I struggle to concentrate enough to count lengths in the pool but today I managed it OK. I suppose my head fog let me concentrate better.
My wave consisted of 3 women and another guy of my age. There was supposed to be a third guy but I did not see him. Two of the girls were big and powerful looking and the guy just mentioned that he once ran a marathon in 2:35. We all got out of the pool at around the same time. I was first out by a few seconds and the others not far behind.
The exit out the pool was through an emergency exit that let out to the street via a few steps and a 180 turn. So quick walk to the door, down the steps round the corner and onto what had previously been described as carpet, but looked more like a bit of blue damp-proof plastic. It looked just like one of those kiddies water slides you put on the lawn and wet with a hose, slippy as hell. It wasn't slippy but took me some time to get confidence to run on it in which time, the rest of my wave had ran past me.
I took my time in transition, dried my self off best I could, slipped on the jersey and the rest of my kit un-racked the bike, switched on the Garmin and made my way to the bike leg start line. I walked with the bike but I could see that others were trying to run in cleats with potentially disastrous consequences. I got some odd looks at the start line from the officials. They were not used to my nonchalant approach. Walked over the line got on the bike, pressed start this time and set off. It was only 7 degrees when I started the ride but I don't recall feeling particularly cold at any point. Given my normal rules of 3 layers if the temperature is below 10 degrees this surprised me.
By the time I got on the bike the rest of my wave were out of sight and out of mind. I was just doing this at my pace. Once I had navigated a couple of roundabouts I worked to bring the heart rate up. The course took us straight into a hill that went on for several miles with a few flats along the way, just what I like. By the time I got to the top of the hill I had passed all of the other in my wave. So I just set about maintaining a constant effort. I soon realised that my heart rate was not registering on the Garmin as the watch had gone to sleep. Set the watch recording and the display came back. I struggled to read it though with bright sunlight on the screen. Occasionally I could see that I was rolling in the high 140s, low 150s. Spot on, but I really rode the whole leg on perceived exertion rather than anything else.
The route went north out of Daventry then cut west across to the A45 main road and back into town. Not a lot of traffic. Rolled back into town, dealt with a few roundabouts, over the line, stopped the Garmin, walked back to my bike rack location. Took off my cycling kit, put my running shoes on and walked out of transition to the run start line.
The last time I did a triathlon in the 80s, the cycle to run transitions were hellish. Your legs felt they belonged to someone else and took ages to get going. None of that this time, straight into the run at a steady pace.
I'm used to running parkrun 5k at a decent pace but I rely very much on the runners around me to set the pace. At a Kettering parkrun I start about 60 runners back from the front as that is where I expect to finish. I use other runners to judge pace. This time I was mainly on my own. I passed a few slower runners but no one overtook me. The watch was giving me mile splits showing I was running around 8 minute miles which was good enough. I tired a bit in the last mile with the effects of my cold finally saying "you've done enough" but held on for a good show over the line, not a sprint but sharp.
I was genuinely surprised at how well my body had coped, given my health but no feeling of over-exhaustion, just straight into elation which normally takes about 5-10 minutes after a hard time-trial or mountain climb.
I went back to transition, put on a few layers, cheered Tanya on at her bike-run transition and again at the finish. Packed up our kit, took the bikes back to the car and drove home for some much needed food. Fell asleep watching the Tour of Britain on the TV in the afternoon, so I must have been a bit tired.
Right results, I thought I might manage 1:15 but in the end it was 1:20:29 which I am more than happy with for my first attempt as it was really a matter of getting used to the triathlon than setting a best time. Tanya did exceedingly well with a 1:21:48, her swimming pace and quick transitions really paid off. I was third in the 60-69 age group, but Tanya was first in her 50-59 age group - amazing.
Making a comparison with my earlier attempts in the 80s, I think the times are comparable. Slower in the swim, faster on the bike and much the same on the run. With a little bit of work, I think that I can improve on my times, particularly the swim.
We'll definitely have another go and I've put a wet suit on my Christmas present wish list so that we can enter open water swim events.
It's now mid afternnon as I finish this blog. Still a bit groggy but no lasting damage. Bring on the next one. Can't wait.
As a footnote, I would like to say that the event was very well organised. Rugby Triathlon Club did an awesome job, very professional, lots of knowledgeable people to help and great marshaling. Well done.
I first competed in a triathlon in August 1987 with my second a few weeks later. Part of a series held at a pool in Biggleswade. Something to do with Bill Jordan of Jordans Cereals who was heavily involved in the running scene around Bedford back then. The event was close to what would now be called a Sprint Triathlon: 400m pool swim, 25km ride and a 6km run (I think, but memory is a bit vague on the specifics). I did OK finishing 32nd out of 67 starters.
For a long time this was the pinnacle of my sporting achievements. I'm not a team player so I never excelled at most sports but I could run and swim OK, representing school at cross country and doing well in the school swimming gala. In the mid 80s I was working in an office with lads of a similar age and one or two had been bitten by the jogging bug so there was lots of talk about running. At the same time my late father-in-law had taken up running with the intention of running a half marathon. Unsurprisingly I was drawn towards the activity and it was not long before I was running several half-marathons a year.
The problem for me was the training caused continual injury and I struggled to get any decent weekly mileage in without ending up hobbling through day-to-day life. One of the lads in the office suggested that I get a bike to improve my fitness and he just happened to have a suitable frame for sale. A few visits to Halfords for parts and I had a working bike. Just 5 gears and weighed a ton but it did what was needed. By 1986 I had a half-marathon PB of 1:34.
Triathlon was very much in its infancy back then but when a local event came about I brushed up my swimming and put in some serious training, often riding the 20 miles to and from work, swimming at lunchtime and running in the evening, all in the same day! I remember getting very tired but I felt really good on it.
So I did the 2 triathlons in late 1987 and then my professional world turned upside down when the opportunity to start a business with a number of my work mates came about. The consequences of that, the stress and demands on my time brought about the end of my active life. Irritable Bowel Syndrome set in and I could no longer run or cycle.
Fast forward to 2011, I tried to walk up Alpe d'Huez to watch the Tour de France. I did not make it half way. Unfit, overweight, suffering from IBS driven by stress/anxiety and depression. My long-suffering wife Tanya decided it was time to do something about it and by 2012 we were cycling regularly, the weight was coming down, the IBS was in retreat and I was feeling a lot better.
Cycling is great, I made loads of new friends, it keeps me fit and healthy and gives my life a focus as I purposely retreat from my professional life and edge towards retirement. We now ride with several groups and people come and go so there is always something fresh to maintain the interest, but cycling round in the same circles has its limits.
In 2017, as I turned 60 I decided that as I was 30 when I did those triathlons, by some weird logic, it was time to give it another go. I bought some running shoes, ran once but that was it for a while as Tanya and I both qualified to ride in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships so cycling in bigger circles at a faster pace became our priority. We had a great time competing in the Worlds in Albi, France so, subsequently we attempted to qualify again in 2018. I was unsuccessful but Tanya qualified and competed in Varese, Italy.
The 2019 Worlds was in Poland which we did not feel compelled to go for so in September 2018, on our return from Varese, I picked up the running shoes again with the intention of competing in a triathlon. Tanya and I both embarked on the Couch to 5k running program. Although by this point we were both very fit for our age, as any cyclist attempting to run will tell you, it is very difficult to run without doing yourself some damage, mainly due to the imbalance in the leg muscle groups caused by the cycling. After a number of restarts following calf/achilles/ham-string injuries I managed 5k without stopping by the end of the year. I did my first parkrun on 5th January in 26:51. On 31st August, I did my eighth parkun in 23:00. I still get a few niggles if I run longer distances but progress has so far been good. Can I do a half marathon in 1:34 again? Maybe, time will tell.
Tanya's progress with the running has not been so good, suffering from recurring injury to her upper ham-string tendons below her sit-bones. So the decision to enter a specific triathlon was on hold for a while. However, after a few weeks of little running and a gentle restart things were improving.
Just 2 weeks ago, we realised that we could enter a local pool based triathlon without having to sell body parts to fund it. Open water swim triathlons are quite expensive and then there's the added cost of a wet suit which would only get a single use if we did not like it. So without further hesitation we entered the Viridian Daventry Triathlon. The event was sprint distance: 400m pool swim, 20km ride and 5km run. So we paid the entry fee, ordered cheap tri-suits and running belts and then started to think about the logistics.
Final training involved a single swim as I had not swam since holiday in late July, dropped my running distances to avoid injury and carried on as normal with the cycling round in small circles at a high pace.
All was well until Wednesday last week. Did the evening Gorilla pub-ride which these days involves a mid-ride segment competition. By the end of the evening I had a sore throat, nothing unusual in that I thought, just the normal "segment cough".Thursday morning my throat was still sore, not segment cough but the onset of a cold. Bugger! Managed to get a gentle 5k run in first thing, but Friday through Saturday I was nursing a head cold. I made a decision fairly early on that I would do the triathlon as long as the cold did not move to my chest or turn into a viral infection. With rest and mild medication I was feeling better. Nothing to stop me now.
The big difference between a running or cycling event and a triathlon is the logistics of getting all the kit ready in the right place so that the transitions between the disciplines is carried out as efficiently as possible. So it is quite a challenge to bring it all together and get it to the event. Numerous scribblings on various bits of paper, lots of head scratching and thinking through the event in our heads took up a lot of our time. The book "Dare to Tri" by Louise Minchin was a great help as it lists the kit and discusses the options.
Registration for the event was possible on Saturday afternoon plus they were holding a briefing session for newcomers afterwards, so we popped over, took the opportunity to recce the run start and finish on foot, followed by a drive round the bike loop in the car. That took a lot of the stress away. Just a matter of returning in the morning to do the event.
We were up at 5:30am on race day. The day dawned dry and bright with little wind, great except the temperature was only 4 degrees! So, I've got a cold and I'm supposed to get out of a warm swimming pool and run 200m to my bike in my wet tri-suit in near freezing temperatures, jump on the bike, still wet and hammer my lungs! I packed an extra jersey and a towel to make sure that I was going to be as dry and warm as possible at the start of the bike leg.
To be honest, I felt really strange when I got up. Sort of divorced from what was happening, going through the motions and not over-thinking everything which is my norm. It was just the effects of my head cold but it was quite relaxing in a strange way. I had one job to do and that was it, just get one with it.
We packed the car with all the kit, put the bikes on the carrier and off we went. Luckily we got a space in the car park adjacent to the transition area which meant we had a bit more time to set up and familiarise ourselves with the layout of the transition. We returned to registration to get numbers written on our arms and legs and attend a safety briefing. Lots of nervous chatter going on around me but the fog in my end was shutting it out, nice.
Back to the bike to strip off and a last arrangement of the bike and kit. Luckily the lockers at the pool were available, so I could wear flip-flops and a sweatshirt over my tri-suit and deposit them in a locker for retrieval later. Then back to the pool for the start.
Due to Tanya's far superior swimming capabilities, she was scheduled to start an hour after me as the fastest swimmer goes last. So throughout my prep Tanya tagged along and assisted which was good considering the state of my head. I think it also helped Tanya as a dry run for her prep.
Back at the pool, we were assembled into groups of six, predetermined by our race numbers. One of us for each lane of the pool, each fitted with an ankle tag containing a timing chip, ASBO style, and given a specific colour swimming cap. Then into the pool with 30 seconds to go to the designated start time. A quick head under to acclimatise myself, fit my goggles and before I was really ready the whistle went and we were off.
To record my activities I was using my Garmin Forerunner Watch for the swim and run and my Garmin Edge 800 for the bike leg. Chest heart rate monitors seemed wrong and not sure they work after submersion, so I set my watch to broadcast my heart rate so that the Garmin 800 would display it as normal on the bike leg. Good in theory, if you remember to press start. So I set about the swim, the tedious process of staring at the pool floor and trying to count the lengths as you turn. After a couple of lengths I realised I had not pressed start on my Forerunner. Dohh. At least the ASBO tag will give me a time. So nice steady pace, not too hard but pushing nonetheless.
There was one other swimmer in my lane at the start, a young lass, and it was obvious that she was struggling because she had been stopping every couple of lengths before I got in. She had started 4 minutes before me in the previous wave, but inevitably it was not long before I caught her up. We had been instructed to tap the feet of the swimmer in front if we wished to pass. So a couple of taps, she stopped at the next turn and I passed. I was conscious of another swimmer joining the lane half way through but did not have to pass anyone else.
At the end of each lane was a "lap counter". Not a sophisticated electronic device but a real person with a clipboard ticking off each length for each swimmer. Quite a busy and responsible job but my lap counter was great, offering encouragement and support every couple of lengths. After 14 lengths, he put a board down to indicate that I had just a couple of lengths to go. Usually I struggle to concentrate enough to count lengths in the pool but today I managed it OK. I suppose my head fog let me concentrate better.
My wave consisted of 3 women and another guy of my age. There was supposed to be a third guy but I did not see him. Two of the girls were big and powerful looking and the guy just mentioned that he once ran a marathon in 2:35. We all got out of the pool at around the same time. I was first out by a few seconds and the others not far behind.
The exit out the pool was through an emergency exit that let out to the street via a few steps and a 180 turn. So quick walk to the door, down the steps round the corner and onto what had previously been described as carpet, but looked more like a bit of blue damp-proof plastic. It looked just like one of those kiddies water slides you put on the lawn and wet with a hose, slippy as hell. It wasn't slippy but took me some time to get confidence to run on it in which time, the rest of my wave had ran past me.
I took my time in transition, dried my self off best I could, slipped on the jersey and the rest of my kit un-racked the bike, switched on the Garmin and made my way to the bike leg start line. I walked with the bike but I could see that others were trying to run in cleats with potentially disastrous consequences. I got some odd looks at the start line from the officials. They were not used to my nonchalant approach. Walked over the line got on the bike, pressed start this time and set off. It was only 7 degrees when I started the ride but I don't recall feeling particularly cold at any point. Given my normal rules of 3 layers if the temperature is below 10 degrees this surprised me.
By the time I got on the bike the rest of my wave were out of sight and out of mind. I was just doing this at my pace. Once I had navigated a couple of roundabouts I worked to bring the heart rate up. The course took us straight into a hill that went on for several miles with a few flats along the way, just what I like. By the time I got to the top of the hill I had passed all of the other in my wave. So I just set about maintaining a constant effort. I soon realised that my heart rate was not registering on the Garmin as the watch had gone to sleep. Set the watch recording and the display came back. I struggled to read it though with bright sunlight on the screen. Occasionally I could see that I was rolling in the high 140s, low 150s. Spot on, but I really rode the whole leg on perceived exertion rather than anything else.
The route went north out of Daventry then cut west across to the A45 main road and back into town. Not a lot of traffic. Rolled back into town, dealt with a few roundabouts, over the line, stopped the Garmin, walked back to my bike rack location. Took off my cycling kit, put my running shoes on and walked out of transition to the run start line.
The last time I did a triathlon in the 80s, the cycle to run transitions were hellish. Your legs felt they belonged to someone else and took ages to get going. None of that this time, straight into the run at a steady pace.
I'm used to running parkrun 5k at a decent pace but I rely very much on the runners around me to set the pace. At a Kettering parkrun I start about 60 runners back from the front as that is where I expect to finish. I use other runners to judge pace. This time I was mainly on my own. I passed a few slower runners but no one overtook me. The watch was giving me mile splits showing I was running around 8 minute miles which was good enough. I tired a bit in the last mile with the effects of my cold finally saying "you've done enough" but held on for a good show over the line, not a sprint but sharp.
I was genuinely surprised at how well my body had coped, given my health but no feeling of over-exhaustion, just straight into elation which normally takes about 5-10 minutes after a hard time-trial or mountain climb.
I went back to transition, put on a few layers, cheered Tanya on at her bike-run transition and again at the finish. Packed up our kit, took the bikes back to the car and drove home for some much needed food. Fell asleep watching the Tour of Britain on the TV in the afternoon, so I must have been a bit tired.
Making a comparison with my earlier attempts in the 80s, I think the times are comparable. Slower in the swim, faster on the bike and much the same on the run. With a little bit of work, I think that I can improve on my times, particularly the swim.
We'll definitely have another go and I've put a wet suit on my Christmas present wish list so that we can enter open water swim events.
It's now mid afternnon as I finish this blog. Still a bit groggy but no lasting damage. Bring on the next one. Can't wait.
As a footnote, I would like to say that the event was very well organised. Rugby Triathlon Club did an awesome job, very professional, lots of knowledgeable people to help and great marshaling. Well done.
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